This would be similar to the review of my first three steps in a 40 before pulling a hamstring so badly I couldn't walk for weeks. Nobody would be surprised.
quote:
Lance Stroll meanwhile triggered a red flag after spinning out of the session. A rear suspension failure on the upgraded Aston Martin was the suspected cause. The pace though, was encouraging.
09:55:07 Jamie Woodhouse Lance Stroll's Aston Martin in doubt
It looks like Lance Stroll will be going nowhere in this session. He suffered what Adrian Newey called a "very unexpected" failure in first practice, believed to be around the rear suspension. The upgraded AMR26 looked encouraging on performance earlier, but the setback on Stroll's car is an unwanted headache.
You only have integrity once. - imprezaguy02
July 24, 2026, 11:18 AM
DanH
Eye rolling in 3... 2... 1...
July 25, 2026, 07:49 AM
Georgeair
Fernando says it’s much better. Probably have to give some credit to him, his experience and his forthrightness.
You only have integrity once. - imprezaguy02
July 25, 2026, 08:47 AM
P250UA5
quote:
Originally posted by Georgeair: Fernando says it’s much better. Probably have to give some credit to him, his experience and his forthrightness.
Alonso & Bottas were close on pace in FP2, so I'd say AMR made a decent step forward. From 5sec off to 2.
The Enemy's gate is down.
July 25, 2026, 11:55 AM
220-9er
quote:
From 5sec off to 2.
Next race they get the power upgrades from Honda so that should be a big help too. They've been fighting a harmonic vibration issue all season but also the deployment seems to be a big speed issue. Baku will be interesting for all the teams-to see if they can run the long straights without running out of battery.
Hamilton and Antonelli docked places for impeding another driver (Hamster) and yellow flag infringement (Kimi). Both will now start 5th and 7th.
July 25, 2026, 02:23 PM
P250UA5
quote:
Originally posted by 220-9er: Baku will be interesting for all the teams-to see if they can run the long straights without running out of battery.
If they were running short of deployment at Spa, Baku they'll probably.be in 6th by the end lf the straight
The Enemy's gate is down.
July 26, 2026, 01:11 PM
DanH
George is starting to lose pace with Lewis for 2nd.
July 26, 2026, 02:41 PM
P250UA5
Sounds like Bahrain is covering most of the costs of having it at Sepang, so they get to keep the host/name rights.
The Enemy's gate is down.
July 27, 2026, 08:31 AM
Georgeair
I'm gonna need someone to convince me that Ferrari not getting CL to back of >5 seconds from LH was intentional and not another boneheaded move. I get that he's not a number two driver, but those two points when LH is already struggling to keep up with Kimi may be important in a few months. Charles is much more out of reach 30 points further down the field.
You only have integrity once. - imprezaguy02
July 27, 2026, 08:46 AM
Ripley
^^^^ There are so many reasons Ferrari would want Lew to do better than CL. And yeah, as this year has developed, Merc would appear to favor Kimi over George. And of course Max is that team's focus. It's so sad to see such talented second drivers seem have no chance to compete on an even level.
If the above can be accepted, the whole series has a stink of manipulation that taints the entire product. As a fan, I don't like being disrespected.
Set the controls for the heart of the Sun.
July 27, 2026, 09:22 AM
P250UA5
Commentary did say that RBR is starting to listen to Hadjar on setup, rather than solely focusing on Max.
Ferrari, when LH was told he had the penalty, CL backed off and held around 4.6 for a couple laps, then closed the gap.
Papaya rules, I think that's a little dumb, Piastri was ahead & Lando wanted to make an earlier stop, they kept him out so OP could come in first I get if you're running to plan, and want to stick to that, but when things change you have to have the flexibility to roll with it. It turned out fine for LN at the end, and a bummer for OP with the gearbox failure.
The Enemy's gate is down.
July 28, 2026, 06:54 PM
P250UA5
Rumors of Imola for the finale, if the Iran situation cancels the Qatar & Abu Dhabi rounds.
Late Nov/Early Dec temps might make that a no, but would be a fun alternate.
The Enemy's gate is down.
August 08, 2026, 05:18 PM
DanH
If there is to be a race in Italy at the end of the year, I would much prefer Mugello instead of Imola. The cars are still too big for Imola.
Speaking of Mugello, James Hinchcliffe was being interviewed about his F1 test with Haas. The process was fairly interesting, and he also has some really good insights about how the racing in F1 hasn't been as good as it could have been.
August 14, 2026, 08:39 PM
220-9er
Finally getting close to the second half after the summer break. Looking forward to seeing how much ground the Aston/Honda can make up with both parts of the package finally running. Let’s hope they have been lowering expectations so we are pleasantly surprised. The grid seems to finally be tightening back up as the back half is coming to grips with the ‘26 rules.
Hadjar to miss Dutch GP, with Liam Lawson taking his seat and Yuki taking the RB seat.
_________________________ NRA Endowment Member _________________________ "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C.S. Lewis
August 19, 2026, 08:51 AM
xd45man
Yuki Yuki Yuki. Sorry for Isaac but yay for Yuki. If I am not mistaken, Zandvoort is where Liam made his debut as a reserve driver back in '23 I think. So history is sort of repeating in a similar way.
Zak Brown is going to be so happy with Red Bull and RB mixing and matching while holding people in non compete clauses if they go to another team. If FOM or whoever wants this franchise bullshit to continue, they've got to do more to distance VCARB from Red Bull.
Red Bull have announced that Max Verstappen has committed to a new deal that will see him race for the team through to 2030.
The Dutchman first joined the Milton Keynes-based outfit in 2016 in a mid-season promotion from sister team Toro Rosso (now named Racing Bulls), and has gone on to achieve a spectacular 71 victories and four Drivers’ Championships.
His most recent triumph in 2024 was followed by McLaren clinching both titles last season, when a stunning comeback by Verstappen resulted in him losing out on a fifth championship by just two points to Lando Norris.
However, Red Bull have dropped further down the pecking order under the new regulations, leading to speculation that the 28-year-old was beginning to explore options at other teams despite his previous contract lasting until 2028.
The announcement, which comes in the build-up to Verstappen’s home race in the Netherlands, brings a definitive end to the rumours and highlights his belief that under the leadership of Laurent Mekies, Red Bull will return to race-winning ways sooner rather than later.
In a team statement, Red Bull labelled their relationship with Verstappen "one of the most successful and defining partnerships in F1 history", adding that the latest deal represents "a powerful statement of mutual trust and ambition – and a shared decision to shape the future together".
Reflecting on the announcement, Verstappen said: "I am really pleased with the contract extension. We have the best people and I’m excited to keep working together with everyone to get back to the top again.
"This remains the ultimate goal that all of us have been working towards and will continue to pursue. I want to thank Red Bull, Laurent and everyone at Oracle Red Bull Racing for the trust they put in me.
"I have always said it: The team is like a second family for me and I feel very at home. I came to the team hoping to be able to win races. What we went on to achieve together has been simply lovely and we have shared many incredible moments and won four World Championships.
"To continue this journey with the same team that I have been with my whole career is really special and something I have always wanted to do.
"Getting to work with Laurent now for over a year has also been great, I see a clear vision he has for the team. Everyone in Milton Keynes believes in what we are building and I am looking forward to the next chapter, fighting for more victories and competing for championships as we continue to shape the future of this team.
"To make this announcement during the last Grand Prix at Zandvoort is a great moment for me as well. Hopefully we can give the fans a special send-off for the final race.”
Mekies was promoted to the role of Team Principal in July 2025 and has taken the squad through a rebuilding phase over the last year, leading the decision to maximise last season's opportunities at the cost of having an underdeveloped car at the beginning of 2026.
Extending his star driver's contract is arguably the greatest achievement of his tenure to date, as he said: "Having Max continue with us and retaining the best driver on the grid is fantastic news for everyone at Red Bull, Oracle Red Bull Racing, as well as F1 and motorsport as a whole.
"Very few partnerships in sport achieve what Max and this team have. Since the very beginning, Max has embodied everything that makes Oracle Red Bull Racing special: uncompromising competitiveness, relentless determination and the courage to challenge convention. His impact on our team and on Red Bull’s motorsport story has been transformational, and he has been fundamental to everything we have accomplished together.
"The decision to continue our journey together is rooted in the trust Max and the team have built over many years, as well as Max’s confidence in our people, our culture and our vision for the future. Forged through championship-winning success, intense battles and challenging moments alike, this relationship has only grown stronger – making it one of Formula One’s greatest success stories.
"But we are not done yet. There are more races to win, more milestones to achieve and more history to write. Together, we continue to raise the bar with the same determination that brought us to the top of the sport and an even greater faith in what we can achieve. Much will evolve as we move forward, but our ambition remains unchanged – united by one direction, one vision, one team.”
The Enemy's gate is down.
August 20, 2026, 10:25 AM
Georgeair
Don't think there's a way to embed Instagram posts here, so just the link below.
